Mitt Romney considering a woman as running mate

Washington
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Ann Romney, who would be First Lady, should husband and presidential candidate Mitt Romney defeat incumbent Barack Obama in November, says the former governor is considering a woman as his running mate.

"We've been looking at that, and I love that option as well," Ann Romney told CBS News in an interview broadcast Thursday. She added: "There's a lot of people that Mitt is considering right now."

Ann Romney claims the Obama team has a “kill Romney” strategy rather than a defeat our opponent mentality, which analysts say matches up to hard-core Chicago-style politics.

"Early on we heard what their strategy was. It was kill Romney," she said, adding a message to Obama: "Not when I'm next to him you better not."

Mr. Romney, who did not comment on the Obama campaign, was also mum about his vice presidential search. "That's something I'm keeping close with my team," he said.

Political speculators thought Romney was focused on men as likely top prospects, including Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. However, other names have made the semi-short list, including New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte -- who walked in a July Fourth parade with Romney on Wednesday -- as well as South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.

Romney has said he will choose his running mate prior to the Republican Convention that begins Aug. 27, in Tampa.

Four years ago, John McCain selected then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a conservative who was little-known outside of her home state, to be the first female on a Republican presidential ticket. Democrats and the relentless mainstream media attacked Palin and each member of her family throughout the campaign. Later, a liberal writer, Joe McGinniss, rented a house next door to the Palin family to spy on them and mine material for his unauthorized Palin biography. Palin went on to become a national celebrity while many Democrats went into vicious personalized melt downs over her success.

For his part, Romney has made experience a qualification for his VP pick. He's said preparedness to be president is his No. 1 requirement for a vice president. Republican base voters are already energized, largely by an intense desire to put a Republican in the White House this year. But most polls show that many women are clinging to Obama’s camp despite a withering economy that has more women unemployed than any time in recent history. Romney choosing a woman as his running mate, or even talking about it, provides a stark contrast between him and Obama, who chose a relatively loose-lipped Joe Biden.

There has never been a female Vice President or President in the U.S.

Romney would effectively break that historic glass ceiling for women, should he choose one as his running mate and win the election.